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Sounds like a plan we can all use to take a look at happenings in our
communities. And a very hope filled adventure. Many thanks for sharing
this, Karen.<br><br>
<br>
At 03:47 PM 7/8/2012 -0500, you wrote:<br><br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite>What if the question of our time is
<i>“How do we assist in accelerating sustainability in every community
around where we live?”</i> Here is a summary of the journey of
working with colleagues in Chicago to answer this question – colleagues
new and old, colleagues in non-profit organizations, public agenices and
for-profit companies, colleagues young and old. Participating in
the journey to date, the following comes to mind.<br><br>
In this century at the ICA office in Chicago, sustainability has surfaced
as important for the future direction of ICA services. years in
rethinking community to include the earth and all its resources, plants,
animals and mineral life (e.g., Transition Movement, Global Village
Movement, Natural Step). As we considered creating yet another
demonstration of community in Uptown, simultaneously we asked ourselves
what would it take to create demonstrations in every community of
Chicago, applying to Transition US to be recognized as Transition Chicago
(listed as #83 of 119 official Transition US initiatives – see
<a href="http://transitionus.org">http://transitionus.org</a>).
<br><br>
The story evolved as we began talking with people across the city, asking
them to identify sustainable initiatives that they are a part of or know
about. It quickly became clear that a remarkable revolution of
change and empowerment is happening, often unrecognized within the
community or even the people actually engaged in the initiative and below
the media radar. We found that instead of doing another
demonstration, what was needed was to ‘listen and learn’ what is going
on, assist in highlighting success that is already present, and then
discern roles needed to help in acceleration. It could be said that all
Chicago communities are already in transition towards a new future.
<br><br>
The year-long Identifying Phase of ‘listening and learning’ began last
summer as student interns from Oklahoma City University documented two
communities. In the fall a professor at DePaul University involved
his two classes (55 students) in researching sustainable initiatives in
fifteen communities. By January five other Chicago universities had
150 students researching 38 communities. This summer forty students
from six Chicago universities, three community colleges, and eight
national universities have spent the last seven weeks collecting
information from the remaining 22 Chicago communities.th Sharing
Approaches that Work event in Chicago. After the Share Fair, the
Engaging Phase will focus on the question of acceleration.<br><br>
What have we learned? 500 sustainable initiatives were identified by June
1<sup>st</sup> with yet another 500 since identified or yet
undiscovered. Community gardens are cropping up everywhere.
New LEED certified buildings (police, fire stations, schools, homes) have
been built – or retrofitted. Businesses are changing their
practices to be more energy efficient, more resourceful.
Restaurants are being recognized for being ‘green’ as they provide
healthier food choices. Schools are creating curriculums that teach
children – who teach their parents – about sustainability. Youth grow and
sell food they raise, create and lead workshops in eating
healthy. Incredible blessings for the future are hidden like
gems for those who have the eyes to see, the ears to hear, the questions
to ask, and the answers remembered!<br><br>
The youth through elders engaged in identifying and connecting
initiatives work out of the ICA building where people are dreaming
about what it will look for the building to be off the grid by
2020. In the past colleagues added energy efficient windows, a
‘green’ bricked parking lot, and transformed the Lumumba Room into a
green space. In 2012 six wind turbines are being added to the
roof, sensor lighting has been added throughout the building, the second
story roof has been resurfaced to be ‘green’, a new kitchen creates
community spirit, and food is being grown in the kitchen greenhouse and
conference room window. The building serves as one of the Uptown
community's sustainable initiatives.<br><br>
Personally I am joy-filled as I participate in this work. As a
facilitator, I am learning to use less paper and fewer procedures while
being challenged to use more visuals and tell motivating stories. I
am impatient with my personal slow change in habits to make a smaller
earth footprint (e.g., when asked at the grocery store, “Do you want
paper or plastic?” I again agonize knowing I want neither – but the bags
I brought for bagging are in the car!) The student interns visiting
communities when it is 100 degrees are an inspiration in their
intelligence and commitment to this work. There is a sense of being
surrounded by Those Who Care. <br><br>
This is all to say that I perceive that just as important as raising the
‘right’ question(s) for our time is to reveal where the question is
already abundantly being answered - as well as tell how we are
participating in creative and significant responses to it. Some
researchers say that the best way to change hearts and change behavior is
to point to what is possible!<br><br>
Peace, <br><br>
Karen<br>
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